Consolidated charges are propellant charges made from solid propellant grains having conventional shapes. They may be either solid single base, double base, or triple based propellant grains. Consolidated charges may be used in ammunition having a case or shell. An advantage of consolidated charges is increased performance. This is due to the fact that more propellant can be concentrated in a given volume. Consolidated charges may also be used in caseless ammunition. The reason being that the consolidated charges produced are sufficiently strong so that they may be fed into a gun without a case or shell.
In the past, consolidated charges have been made by initially mixing the individual propellant grains with a solvent or binder solution. Thereafter, the mass is compressed in a mold to form the solid charge. In many cases, if not all cases, during compression, excess solvent is squeezed out of the mass in the mold.
The disadvantages of the prior art are that the mixing apparatus, and the molds, are coated with partially dissolved propellant which is extremely sticky. Once a consolidated charge is molded, the apparatus must be cleaned again prior to a repetition of the process. Further, the solvent is highly flammable, and the excess running out of the mold presents a highly hazardous situation. Also, the exact amount of solvent actually remaining in the consolidated charge is very difficult to control. Due to the fact that the burning rate of the end-item is very dependent on the amount of solvent, performance in the field varies from one consolidated charge to another. This effect is attributed to the fact that the solvent is highly volatile. And, the amount leaving the mold during compression, varies from charge to charge.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved dry compaction process of making a consolidated propellant charge.
Another object is to provide a process of making a consolidated charge having a reproducible burning rate.
A further object is to provide a process of making a consolidated charge in which the exact amount of solvent in the charge may be easily controlled.
Other objects, and many of the attendant advantages, of this invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following detailed specification and the claims.